Friday Workshops 1:00-2:00pm

Bill Evans - The New Writer's Process

Koehler Books will be releasing Bill’s first novel in October—his second novel will
be released in March 2018---both novels are being considered for TV movies. Bill writes
with a lot of dialogue and in the words of his publisher, “doesn’t use a lot of word
calories”. Not a lot of fluff—gets into his story and then uses shock and twists to
keep the reader interested. Come hear him discuss his process for writing.

Mary Weber - Social Media Marketing For Your Book

If a solid story is king in the world of publishing, then marketing is queen. Sure
you need a solid platform and grasp of social media, but you also need to understand
the deeper connections to help carry those. What do you do with them? Who does each
target? Here’s a hint – it’s not always what you think! Join award-winning, HarperCollins
fantasy/sci-fi author, Mary Weber, in a creative conversation about reaching out to
expand yourself, your options, and connecting in a world where what you know can hugely
boost what you do.

Kevin Clark - I’m The One I'm Not: Writing The Persona Poem

Write what you know, they always say… And so, since childhood, most of us have written
poems that are about what we know best — i.e., the Wonder of Me. After a while, however,
we may have become a bit bored with the ever-present highway of our interior lives.
Maybe we’ve always preferred the sound of someone else’s voice, anyone’s voice not
our own? What then? Writing persona poems about people we make up or people who actually
exist (or once existed) can liberate us and juice up our imagination. While reading
persona poems by several contemporary poets, we will examine helpful ways to begin
poems that engage the first person voice of the Other.

Cindy Neuschwander - The Picture Book

What is it? Author Cindy Neuschwander will introduce this delightful and ever-enjoyable
genre, present it's history, and share thoughts on its reading audience.

Ken Sherman - Why You Need An Agent (What Publishers And Producers Want - What Are
They Looking For?)

Are you a screenwriter attempting to navigate the world of Hollywood producers? Are
you an author attempting to score the perfect publishing house? If the answer is yes,
then you need an agent. Don’t know exactly what an agent can do for you? Then you’ve
come to the right place. It’s time to learn how an agent can bridge the gap between
you and the publishing or producing world. Learn what publishers and producers want,
and what they are looking for. Learn the names and faces of the industry that supports
your type of writing. Learn where to pitch your work. And of course, learn how to
entice and land an agent that is right for you.

Ken Sherman & Associates is an internationally established Los Angeles based literary
agency with clients who include David Guterson ("Snow Falling on Cedars"), Anne Perry
(85 books in print, a feature and two separate TV series in development), Starhawk,
worked with John Updike for 33 years, Ed Khmara (screenplays for "Ladyhawke" and
"Enemy Mine"), Tawni O'Dell (Oprah Book Club Selection for her novel, "Back Roads”),
and the estates of Simon Wiesenthal, H. L. Mencken, Willa Cather, and Franz Kafka
just to name a few.

Carlisle Webber - Everything You Need To Know About Publishing You Can Learn From
Reality TV

Writers have more in common with drag queens, fashion designers, models, and inventors
than they know. All these professions require presenting great product, working on
their craft, knowing how to build a career, and more. The key to understanding the
publishing business might just lie in your remote control.

Peter Dunne - The Storyteller’s Voice

Fiction or non-fiction, short story, essay, or novel, when it comes to storytelling,
some problems are universal. You may have many good ideas to write about – stories
that are worth your time and effort – but so often you find yourself getting lost.
You stare at all the hard work you’ve done, and beg the gods to lead you on. Yet,
the story will not budge. Because it knows, even when you don’t, that something vital
in your writing is going unwritten. The essence of your work has escaped. And that
essence is Emotional Structure, which establishes your Writer’s Voice. Your Writer’s
Voice tells the world how you want to be known. It is critical because it expresses
who you are – deep down – and separates you from the pack as it announces your arrival.
Why is that so important for success? Because your writing isn’t the product, you
are. Ask any publisher.

Chantelle Aimée Osman - Self Promotion Sells Books

Once upon a time all an author had to do was write a good story. The publisher did
the rest, while the author worked on their next masterpiece. Now the author has to
wear hats as a agent, publicist, social media guru and sometimes even publisher. This
workshop cover the best methods of marketing, from Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads,
to blogs, newsletters, advertisements, and in-person appearance. In the current writing
market, an author who doesn’t promote doesn’t sell. How much time and money should
you spend promoting, and where best should you direct your efforts?

Aaron Metchik - How to Write a Screenplay You Can Produce Yourself

Selling a screenplay is hard! Even if you do make a sale, your masterpiece could be
one of the huge number of SOLD screenplays that never gets produced. Sometimes the
best way to get your movie made is to roll up your sleeves and make it yourself. The
good news is, in this day and age you can! The choices you make in the writing phase
however, will often determine whether you make it to the finish line, affecting your
budget, shooting schedule, location options and even your likelihood of getting distribution.
Come learn how to craft a screenplay that can be shot on a budget using recourses
you already have. Avoid mistakes that could cost you thousands, and pick up tips that
will make your entire process more fulfilling, allow you to focus on telling your
story, and even help you get name actors on board your low budget passion project.